Lesson
by SassyAngel05
Summary: Set after Birthright. Jack takes the school hostage. Some SJR.


Author: Vona  
  
Title: Lesson  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Pairing: S/J, who else would I write?   
  
Summary: Set after Birthright. Samantha is still talking to Chloe's class, when John and Bailey come to pick her up for a case. All that gets messed up when she discovers Jack is in the building.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Profiler, I just like to borrow the characters from time to time. S/M, Saunders, etc own it.  
  
Feedback: I'd love some. I hope there are people out there that can't let Profiler go either:) I blame CourtTV for all this...  
  
Lesson  
  
Samantha Waters smiled sweetly after tossing her blond hair over her shoulders. She leaned against the desk, her green eyes scanning the room around her. Several parents sat in the back, similar looks of joy on their faces. Chloe sat in her desk quietly, pride emanating from her. She loved her mother very much. The other children were enthralled with her words, profiling sounding very exciting. "So, I have to figure out why the bad guys do what they do. I go to crimes scenes and examine the evidence very closely. Then, I try to figure out who they're targeting and why."  
  
She looked at the door instinctively, when she thought she felt someone watching her. Bailey and John stood on the otherside, both studying the profiler, but trying not to disturb her. She groaned inwardly and motioned for them to come on in. They did, filing in through the rows of students.  
  
"And these two here are my co-workers. FBI Agents Bailey Malone and John Grant."  
  
Bailey shifted uncomfortably. He could deal with Chloe, but twenty-five little grubby faces was more than what he wanted to deal with. John stood behind Bailey, looking guilty for interrupting Sam's presentation. "You can go ahead and finish, Sam, then we'll go on."  
  
She nodded gratefully and turned back to give her speech when they classroom phone rang. "Hello?" The teacher whispered from the back of the room.  
  
"And then I gather information on what he looks like. John usually goes out and questions some of the victims and brings the information back to George, are tech person. He scans things through the computers and comes up with a list of possible suspects that go along with my profile and John's information."  
  
"Excuse me, Dr. Waters. There is a phone call for you."  
  
Samantha tilted her head, unsure of why anyone would call her here. John and Bailey were here, so it couldn't be VCTF. Maybe it was Angel. She took the phone from the teacher. "Bailey, will you tell them more of what we do at the VCTF?"  
  
Bailey nodded reluctantly and turned to the children.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Samantha. I always dreamed you would become a teacher. Someone who would teach people what love really is."  
  
Her eyes widened and she wasn't sure what to do. She motioned for Bailey, who seemed quite oblivious to her movements. John, on the otherhand, noticed them right away. He mouthed, "What is it?"  
  
"Jack. Get Bailey!"  
  
John nudged Bailey, who instantly stopped talking. Sam took a deep breath, when she heard his voice again.  
  
"Honestly, Samantha, I don't know why you had to get Bailey's attention. I just wanted to talk with you."  
  
Sam placed him on speaker phone, so John and Bailey could hear Jack.  
  
"Now, you had to let them in on our conversation. I think I'm going to have to teach you a lesson."  
  
"What kind of lesson, Jack?"  
  
"It would be no fun if I told you that. But what a proper place to have you learn. It's time for you to remember why we're together, why we're meant to be with each other."  
  
"I'm afraid I'll never learn that lesson."  
  
"Oh, Samantha, I hate it when you play hard to get. But you'll know better soon enough."   
  
The line disconnected, leaving a dial tone over the speaker.  
  
"He's here."  
  
"Sam, we don't know that."  
  
"He knew what I was doing. He knew both of you were here. He knew I was talking to Chloe's class. You've got to lockdown the school."  
  
Bailey shook his head. "I don't know if that's the best method."  
  
John was already running down the hall to the principal's office. Bailey sighed and followed, confronting the principal.  
  
"You have to lock down the school."  
  
"I'm afraid I can't unless some kind of authority tells me to."  
  
John whipped out his badge.  
  
"Is this enough authority for you? A serial killer is in this school and he's after a child and mother. Lock down the school."  
  
"Yes, Agent Grant."  
  
"And give me the visitors list. We need to know who has been in and out of this school."  
  
"Okay." He handed the list to John, who in turn handed it to Bailey. They both rushed back to the classroom.  
  
Sam hugged Chloe tightly, frustration building up inside. She couldn't even come to Chloe's class to speak without Jack interfering. She sighed in relief when she saw John and Bailey reenter, the guards they'd put on Chloe's detail following. They stood around Chloe, causing her to panic.  
  
"The bad man came back! Mommy, why is the bad man here?"  
  
"He just wants to scare us. Don't be afraid. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. You know that." Chloe's wide green eyes let that knowledge sink in, reflecting her worry and trust all in one. John approached the two. "Sam, we need to talk to you."  
  
"Okay. Sweetie, I'm going to be right over there. No reason at all to worry."  
  
"All right."  
  
Sam walked over to Bailey, examining the list John had provided her with.  
  
"Jack Trade. Clever. He even drew a tiny rose under his name."  
  
"He signed in after we came, so he hasn't been here very long. I'd say that the building is safe. No explosives or anything like that."  
  
"I don't think he wants to hurt me physically. It's always been emotionally. It's almost like he's not allowed to touch me. It's against everything he believes in."  
  
"Well, that's a good sign."  
  
"No. He'll kill someone close to me like he always does."  
  
"Bailey and I will go around the school and search for any sign of him."  
  
Sam hesitated, before protesting.  
  
"He wants you both to leave."  
  
"Well, he can't get to you or Chloe. You've got a detail surrounding both of you."  
  
"He wants..."  
  
A flash of black and white, a briefcase with a rose etched on it, a knife with blood.  
  
"He wants one of you."  
  
"What?" Bailey questioned carefully.  
  
"He's envies you both. You're close to me and that's all he wants. Is to be able to be close."  
  
"So he'll attack John or me?"  
  
"I think so. I don't know. I could be wrong. I never can get a good hold on Jack."  
  
"That's not your fault, Sam."  
  
"It is. I capture stalkers and murderers every day, but never Jack."  
  
She turned away from John and Bailey, walking to the window in the classroom, ignoring the blatant looks of worry crossing over their faces.  
  
Samantha heard several parents talking quietly about how exciting and creative it was for Dr. Waters to have a demonstration of her job. She nearly bubbled into inappropriate laughter at the thought that this was all just a fun little game. John took his cell phone out of his jacket pocket.   
  
"I'm going to call George. Maybe he'll be able to find out which room Jack is in."  
  
He dialed the number when the wonderful voice of a recording, "I'm sorry, your phone call can not be transmitted."  
  
John scanned the phone.  
  
"He's jammed the signal."  
  
The teacher stepped in, realizing the emergency, "Try the class phone."  
  
Sam picked the phone up, a sinking feeling in her stomach, and said, "Hello?"  
  
Jack's maniacal laughter came through the other end.  
  
"I figured you might try to contact your friends at VCTF. That wouldn't be any fun."  
  
Samantha put the phone on speaker again, before talking.  
  
"You hate it, don't you?"  
  
"Hate what, Samantha?"  
  
"That I have so many friends."  
  
"They'll all leave you at some time, Samantha. I have no worries about your friends."  
  
"Because you always take them away. But you hate it, when you see me with John. And when I talk to Bailey. And hug them."  
  
Sam pulled Bailey to her, embracing the agent. She heard Jack's breathing hitch and she smiled to herself. This was good. She was getting to him.  
  
"You don't want to keep doing this, Samantha, because I know we're meant to be together."  
  
"Or what, you'll kill them?"  
  
"I only make them see our love."  
  
"No, Jack. You murder them brutally."  
  
"I do it for us."  
  
"There is no us." Samantha slammed the phone off, making any connection with Jack disappear. She turned to John, who was holding the phone around the room.   
  
"It says I have a message."  
  
"Check it." Sam ordered.  
  
John put the receiver up to his ear, listening to the words closely.  
  
"I'm sorry, but Jonathan O'Doyle is not available to come to the phone now, since he's currently deceased. Please leave your condolences at the beep."  
  
John dropped the phone in surprise. It wasn't that he was afraid of Jack or dying, it was simply that he was being so blatant about his impending doom. Samantha grabbed the phone, listening to the message. Her eyes widened as she stared at John. She handed the cell to Bailey, before talking to the guards that surrounded Chloe. "I need half of you to cover John now."  
  
"No, Sam, I don't need any more protection. I can take care of myself."  
  
"He's targeting you, John. You're next. I won't have that happen! I can't!"  
  
"We're all here together. He won't try to come after me in here. He'll try to get me when I leave the room. Which is what I'll do. We'll smoke him out."  
  
"Absolutely not. John, I can't lose you. I've lost so many people already. I can't have your blood on my hands to."  
  
Samantha was almost hysterical. She had tears in her eyes and she was visibly shaking. Both were clearly unaware of their current audience of twenty-five students, one teacher, three parents, and one very concerned FBI boss.  
  
"You don't have blood on your hands. Not a single thing Jack does do you have any control over."  
  
"Please, John. Just stay here with the guards. Let Bailey and I investigate the halls."  
  
"I'm not letting you out there. You're the one he wants, Sam."  
  
"It's never mattered to you before."  
  
"We're friends. I don't want some psychopathic stalker to take you hostage."  
  
"It'd save you."  
  
"Samantha Waters, you are not going on a suicide mission. I'm not going to let you."  
  
"You have no say in what I do or don't do, John Grant, so get over yourself."  
  
"You're the one who seems to think you rule the world and everything in it."  
  
"I do not."  
  
"Original comeback, Sam. You could do a lot better."  
  
She threw out her hand, balling it into a fist, and instantly she was pounding on John's chest angrily. He stood there, letting her take out her frustration before he pulled her closely to him, wrapping his arms around her waist. She sobbed, tears falling earnestly down her face and onto John's shirt. She got control of herself and pulled away. "I'm sorry, John. I didn't mean what I said."  
  
"Yes, you did. And I meant everything I said. But we never meant for the other to hear about it."  
  
She cracked a smile.  
  
"I guess I did. But I didn't mean to turn into a crumbling mess."  
  
"Yeah, well, I did offer you a shoulder a long time ago. This time, you just borrowed my chest."  
  
That gained a light chuckle from the profiler. She started to pace, avoiding John's concerned blue eyes. Those eyes always killed her. They were so impossibly blue and they always held such emotion. She couldn't deal with what she'd see there now. "Bailey, what'd you come here for anyways? You didn't know Jack was here, or the place would be swarming with FBI."  
  
"A string of ritual murders in Austin. We knew you were talking to Chloe's class today, so John and I figured we could pick you up after you were done and we'd head to the helipad."  
  
"At what time?"  
  
"Um, an hour ago."  
  
"Maybe they'll figure out that something happened along the way and alert Grace and George. They might figure it out."  
  
"We can always hope. Especially if they call John's cell phone; they might pick up a hint or two."  
  
"So there's reason to believe they'll come."  
  
"It's possible. Plus, school gets out in an hour. When they find out that the kids can't leave; police, reporters, FBI will be here."  
  
"Right."  
  
Samantha closed her eyes briefly, trying to figure out what to do next.   
  
Sam stared out the window watching police and FBI pull up in front of the elementary school. George and Grace were the first ones out of the van. Sam sighed and shut the blinds again as she heard the voice over the microphone call, "Jack, you are surrounded. Come out now."  
  
"He's not going to come out voluntarily. He's probably already figured out how to get out."  
  
Interrupting her thoughts, a flash of black and white occured, a man walking on a chalkboard. It read Mr. Jack Trade, substitute. I can do all things.  
  
"He's a substitute."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Jack's a substitute teacher here. Ms. Gardiner, who was absent today teacherwise?"  
  
"Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Exley."  
  
Sam pulled her gun out, making sure it was loaded. She called out to the guards, "Stay on Chloe at all times."  
  
Then John and Bailey followed Sam out the door, guns drawn as they ran to the classrooms. Mrs. Exley's class was okay, a female substitute taken her place. So that left Mr. Johnson. They hurried to the class room and kicked the door open. A group of frightened children huddled together, some crying, some shaking. On the board hung a red rose, with a message in chalk written in caps letters obviously by a child.  
  
SAMANTHA- TODAY HE LIVES. SOON HE DIES. WE WILL BE TOGETHER.  
  
"He's gone. He knew we'd come."  
  
"It's okay, Sam. We'll get him next time." Bailey said supportively before kneeling in front of the children. "We need to ask you some questions and then you all can go home."  
  
Sam dropped her gun in defeat and began skulking down the halls. John rushed after her, trying to catch her attention.  
  
"Sam! Sam! Stop! Samantha!"  
  
She stopped in her tracks, waiting for whatever John had to say.   
  
"Sam, we will get him. He won't be able to go on with this forever. One day he'll slip and we'll have him."  
  
"When? Next month? Next year? After fifty more people die, including you? We'll never catch him soon enough."  
  
John grabbed her arm, whirling her around.  
  
"We will."  
  
And with that, he smothered her lips with a searing kiss that seemed to last forever, yet not nearly long enough. She stared up at him with trusting, fearful eyes and it was all he could do not to drop another kiss on her perfect mouth.  
  
"I've always wanted to do that, Dr. Waters."  
  
She seemed to be trying to regain composure after such a kiss. Finally, instead of complaining, she chose to make a joke. "And I hope you'll try it again. After Jack's gone. Because until then, you're his target."  
  
"I'm his target anyway."  
  
"Well, if you and I got together, it would make him even more avid it killing you."  
  
"I still don't like it."  
  
"Neither do I."  
  
"I've come to care for you, Samantha."  
  
She smiled. "Funny, I was thinking the exact opposite."  
  
He crinkled his nose adorably. "I think it's time to stop denying our mounting attraction to one another."  
  
"And I think I like you better live than dead."  
  
He fell quiet, looking thoughtful.  
  
"One for the road, then?"  
  
His boyish charm won her over as she stepped up to kiss him briefly.  
  
"Chloe's waiting for me."  
  
He followed her back to the classroom.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ms. Gardiner, for all of this. I never intended for any of it to happen."  
  
The petite teacher shook her head. "You're not to blame."  
  
"Well, thank you for that. I need to take Chlo home now."  
  
"Feel free. The children are allowed to leave now anyway."  
  
"Thanks, Ms. Gardiner."  
  
"Chloe? We can go home now."  
  
"Is the bad man gone, Mommy?"  
  
Sam's heart broke when Chloe said that. She started to bend down, but was surprised when John lifted her daughter up.  
  
"For now, Miss Chloe. Now, shall we get some pizza on the way home?"  
  
"Yeah! Are you eating with us, Mr. John?"  
  
"That's up to your mother, Chloe."  
  
"Mommy?"  
  
"I guess so."  
  
John put his arm around Sam's waist and ushered her into the hall. The three walked down the steps together in to a crowd of reporters.  
  
"Dr. Waters, was it Jack that struck again?"  
  
"Was anyone injured?"  
  
"Did you catch Jack?"  
  
"Would you make a statement, Dr. Waters?"  
  
Samantha stopped on the steps, letting the lights shine on her.  
  
"We did not capture Jack of all Trades today, but I do have a message for him. You got away today, but you will not get away tomorrow. We will find you and you will pay for all you have done."  
  
With that, John led her and Chloe away from the crowd and into the waiting VCTF van where George and Grace were waiting.  
  
Jack lit a cigarette in his lair, taking a long drag. A small tv sat on a desk in front of him and Samantha's face spread across the screen.  
  
"We did not capture Jack of all Trades today, but I do have a message for him. You got away today, but you will not get away tomorrow. We will find you and you will pay for all you have done."  
  
Jack laughed to himself as he ripped the paste on mustache off.   
  
"Oh, Samantha, you will find me. But there is no we with you and John Grant are involved. Or Bailey Malone and you. You'll find that out soon enough. You just haven't learned your lesson yet." 


End file.
